- Died
- 12 December 1942, aged 30
- Fate
- Killed in action
Biography
Glyn Ashfield, known as “Jumbo”, was born at Chelmsford on 10 August 1912 and entered the Royal Air Force as a teenage aircraft apprentice before becoming a pilot. His pre-war service took him through postings including No. 29 Squadron in India, No. 30 Squadron in Iraq and No. 79 Squadron at Biggin Hill, and in September 1939 he was commissioned from flight sergeant to pilot officer. In April 1940 he joined the newly formed Fighter Interception Unit, where Blenheims and Beaufighters were being used to turn airborne radar from experiment into an operational night-fighting weapon.
On the night of 22/23 July 1940 Ashfield captained Blenheim L6836 with P/O G. E. Morris and Sgt R. H. Leyland when they made what is credited as the first successful destruction of an enemy aircraft using airborne interception radar, off the Sussex coast. He later served with No. 157 Squadron on Mosquito night fighters, damaging a Ju 88 in October 1942. Awarded the Air Force Cross in 1941 and the Distinguished Flying Cross shortly before his death, Ashfield was killed on 12 December 1942 when Mosquito NF.II W4099 struck a tree during an Army co-operation exercise near Radwinter, Essex; his observer, Flying Officer Douglas David Beale, also died. Ashfield was 30 and is buried at St Peter’s churchyard, Limpsfield.
Burial / commemoration
- Cemetery
- Limpsfield (st. Peter) Churchyard, United Kingdom
Operations on this date. One raid in this archive was flown on the night of 12 December 1942: Turin. (Cross-reference by date — not in itself confirmation this airman flew it.)
Timeline
-
14 March 1941
Gazetted: AFC
Air Force Cross -
1 December 1942
Gazetted: DFC
Distinguished Flying Cross -
12 December 1942
Lost in de Havilland Mosquito W4099
Other -
12 December 1942
Died
aged 30
Crew & operations
Flew as Other with No. 157 Squadron.
- Lost on W4099 (de Havilland Mosquito) — Failed to return
Crew: Douglas David Beale (Other)
Awards
-
Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) — gazetted 1 December 1942
This officer has completed numerous sorties, many of them in adverse weather at night. He has at all times displayed exceptional keenness to engage the enemy and, by his skilful and untiring efforts has contributed materially to the successes achieved by the squadron he commands. He has destroyed 2 and probably destroyed further enemy aircraft. Acting Squadron Leader William David Gordon WATKINS, D.F.M.
-
Air Force Cross (AFC) — gazetted 14 March 1941